Bush Rescue
by Goshstorywriter
Summary: When Grace and Michael go to investigate an incident in bushland, they need to be rescued. Grace and Josh are a couple.


Bush Rescue

This occurs sometime after ep 10 because Dom is on paternity leave, but **there was no bomb** in ep 10 and everyone is fine. Grace did however confess her affair to Connor and has left him for Josh.

A homeless man in bushland on the edge of suburbia has been threatening locals. When the local cops go to investigate, one of them is attacked and so they call in TR.

Lawson and Josh are busy on another job and Dom is on paternity leave. Stella isn't working today, so its up to Grace and Michael to go investigate until Josh and Lawson can join them. There is a tense phone conversation between Kerry and Lawson about this. Grace is nearly Sergeant material and Kerry thinks that Lawson should give her more responsibilities. Lawson is reluctant and cautious. Josh doesn't want to comment in case he undermines Grace's standing in the team but naturally he's concerned and wishes he could be there with her.

Grace and Michael go out to search the bushland. It's a very hot day and they are sweating in their uniforms. Michael wants to strip down to his t-shirt but doesn't dare go against protocol. They each have a water bottle on them.

"Hey....what's that ?" Michael exclaims, seeing a distant movement, definitely a person. They take off in that direction, pushing aside branches, jumping over rocks.. In the pursuit Michael is in the lead, full of brash confidence and adrenaline. He suddenly comes to a steep drop-off but it's too late to stop once he sees it and he goes over the edge of a small cliff, landing roughly below. He's lying on the ground in pain, yelling out to Grace. She manages to negotiate her way down the rocks carefully. It looks like he's broken his leg.

Back at base Leon has been getting some broken reception and realises that something is wrong. He curses the system that doesn't work as effectively in the bush and contacts Kerry and Lawson. Now that Grace and Michael are down in a gully they've lost contact with base. Kerry is particularly annoyed at this glitch in the system and is seriously concerned about them. She immediately calls Josh and Lawson off their job.

Behind Michael, amongst the rocks is a small cave which is in fact the homeless man's refuge. He's extremely agitated and upset at their presence because his superb hiding place will now be discovered. He has to act fast.

Grace has negotiated her way down the rocks to Michael and realised that she can't get in contact with base. She does some basic first aid and says she'll have to go get help. She looks up and now realises that the man's hideout is behind them. He emerges from the shadows and starts approaching them. Grace pulls out her gun and aims it at him, she's never actually killed anyone and she thinks to herself that this is going to be the moment, but he takes off at the sight of the gun. Grace puts it away and chases him over the rough terrain.

As she comes around a corner she trips and he ambushes her, hitting her with a strong branch. She struggles, fights him off, she's getting scratched, bruised. The branch strikes her over the head and she blacks out. He ties her up. He has to go back and think about what to do with them.

Michael is terrified when the man returns without Grace. It's hot and Michael is in a lot of pain, thirsty, starting to lose it; " what have you done to her ? where is she ?" The man doesn't speak, he hasn't said anything at all. He goes back to his hideout to think.

It takes a while for Josh and Lawson to arrive. Police Rescue has been called in as well. Lawson is very angry and feels that he is responsible for sending them out without a Sergeant, without himself and Josh.

They start searching the bushland.

Michael is barely conscious and has run out of water. He's incredibly thirsty and hot. Grace has given up calling out his name, but now he knows that she is alive, or was alive, somewhere nearby. She's thirsty too, lying amongst the bushes covered in scratches and bleeding from a cut at her hairline, her hands tied behind her back.

It seems like hours later, but Grace hears Josh and Lawson calling her name. She thinks that she must be imagining it. When they call again she tries to say something but her throat is parched. Finally she manages a sound and then screams hard. It's a terrifying sound for Josh. They start running in the direction of the scream, like Michael had run across the rugged terrain towards the cliff but they are close enough together for Josh to pull Lawson up at the last minute and both narrowly miss going over the edge. Below they can see Michael lying on the ground. He doesn't look good. No sign of Grace. Lawson calls out "Michael !". Michael moans. They climb down the cliff which is negotiable ( if you don't have a broken leg, it's a collection of boulders, ledges and small cliff faces ). Lawson has a walkie-talkie and is in contact with Police Rescue who are on the way with ropes and a stretcher.

As Lawson and Josh reach the bottom of the cliff, the man comes out and attacks them but he is quickly overpowered by ( **the awesome team that is** ) Josh and Lawson. They handcuff him to a tree and go to Michael.  
Lawson: "hey mate, how are you ? "  
Michael moans " Lawson, you made it......"  
They give him some water and pat him on the shoulder.  
Josh; "where's Grace ?"  
Michael doesn't know but can point to the general direction from which the man returned without her. Josh starts off, leaving Lawson with Michael.

Josh hurriedly searches the scrub around the track, eventually he finds her lying amongst the bushes below. He scrambles down to her, she's alive, he has to get her out of there. There are too many branches around to pick her up so he stands behind her and pulls, supporting her under the arms, muttering her name; " Gracie, Gracie....". Blood is trickling down her face, in her blonde hair. She's oddly quiet.  
Josh gets back to the track, stops pulling her and unties her hands. " Talk to me Gracie....." . He is gently holding her, his hand carressing her chin, and he's looking at her closed eyes.

She opens her eyes and sees him. " Josh, you came......"  
Josh; "of course, you **knew** I would...."  
Supporting her head, he gives her his water bottle watching her gulp it down. He then brushes the hair out of her face but he doesn't have anything to dress the wound which is still bleeding. He pulls off his shirt and wipes it with the long sleeve, holds it tight against her head a moment. " come on, lets get you outta here". Josh now picks her up and carries her back to Lawson and Michael. She has her arms around his neck, leaning her head against his shoulder. Police Rescue have arrived and have set up some ropes over the cliff. Michael is being placed in a stretcher.

Josh puts Grace down whilst they tend to her wound. Her head gets wrapped in a giant white bandage. Josh wants to take her back up the cliff himself but Grace stubbornly insists that she isn't going in a stretcher like Michael. Lawson is frustrated with her stubborness but Josh finds a compromise. He offers to support her up the cliff. They are both hooked up in climbing harnesses. Josh makes sure that the ropes are well-tied and the carabiners locked off, then he holds on to her tightly as they make their way up the cliff-face. It's not a sheer cliff, there are plenty of small ledges and holds.

Even though Grace feels terrible, she enjoys the sensation of Josh's arms wrapped around her and she kind of wishes the cliff was a lot longer ! At the top they are unhooked and Josh supports her as they stumble back to an ambulance. She doesn't want to be carried, she's a bit embarrassed. Josh just wants to get her safely out of there, since she's moved in with him, he feels even more protective of her, she's his girl now and he'd hate to lose her for any reason.

Grace takes a couple of days off sick. Michael is in hospital and everyone visits him, signs his cast. Stella is a frequent visitor. Grace enjoys her days off in Josh's apartment. She'd only recently moved in and still has boxes to unpack. For a change Josh is eager to finish his work shifts and get home. She greets him at the door with a passionate kiss and a cute smile.  
"hey babe" he says......


End file.
